Bracket for venetian blinds or the like



R. P. MOYER EI'AL ,6

BRACKET FOR VENETIAN BLIND OR THE LIKE Dec. 7, 1954 Filed Nov. 29, 1952 Tic. E. /4

a .INVENTORS Roemr R MOVZE BY fl/m/ex 6 $7d6k United States atent 2,696,358 BRACKET FOR VENETIAN BLINDS OR THE LIKE Robert P. Moyer and Harry E. Stoeckle, Sturgis, Mich.

'assignors to Kirsch Company, Sturgis, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application November '29, 1952, Serial No. 323,286 '7 Claims. (Cl. 248-264) This invention relates to Venetian blind brackets which are adapted to receive a headmember channel section in which the head mechanism of the Venetian blind is mounted. Hereto'fore many such brackets have been employed which had to be made either as rights or lefts requiring two sets of tools. Furthermore, such brackets have in the past been difficult to operate for removal of the headmernber section.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide such a bracket which can be used either as a right or left so that all such brackets are interchangeable.

Another object is to provide such a bracket which has a simple and easily manipulatable locking mechanism which permits positive locking when the headmember is in place and simple and easy unlocking when it is desired to remove the headmember.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the accompanying drawings a form of bracket which is at present preferred since it has been found that it gives satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrurnentalities of which the invention consists can be varied and that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement and organization herein shown and described as the preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the improved bracket showing a Venetian blind headmember installed therein.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the bracket taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing how the bracket may be opened and how the headmember of the Venetian blind may be removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2; i

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the locking slide;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the locking slide taken from a direction opposite from that of Fig. 5.

The bracket consists in general of a box-like member forming a rectangular plate with top, bottom and rear flanges which form a box into which the Venetian blind headmember may be inserted. The locking mechanism consists of a sliding plate which slides along the plate of the bracket and is provided with a slot which fits over a. shouldered stud. This stud is located substantially centrally of the edge of the plate which is open and the slot is long enough to permit the slide to be moved outwardly and swung downwardly to expose the open side of the box section.

The slide is provided with a locking flange which overlies the end of the headmember and the lock consists of a spring member which is fastened to the slide and extends through an aperture in the flange on the slide. It is provided with an aperture which fits over thehead of the stud for locking purposes.

Specifically, the bracket is shown generally at 1. As seen in Fig. 1 it is mounted in a window casing 2 where it supports the headmember 3 for the Venetian blind. This headmember consists of a sheet metal channel.

The bracket 1 consists of a plate 4 which has an upper flange 5, a lower flange 6 and a rear flange 7, all of which extend at right angles to the plate and form an open-sided box.

The flanges may be provided with apertures 8 for attachment to a window casing or the plate may be formed 2,696,358 Patented Dec. 7, 1954 ice with apertures 9 for the same purpose. These apertures are generally provided in both the plate and the flange, as shown in the drawings.

A closure member or locking mechanism is provided. It consists of a flat slide 10, which is provided with a longitudinal slot 11 which terminates at its inner end in a T slot 12. A 'stud 13 is affixed to the plate 4, as indicated at 14. The stud has a shank 15 and an enlarged head 16.

The slot 11 fits 'slidably over the shank 15 of the stud 13 and is held in place by the head 16 which has a diameter greater than the width of the slot. A closure ange 17 extends at right angles from the forward end of the slide 10. Hook-u ears or guides 18 are provided for guiding the slide 10.

I The locking mechanism consists of a spring 19 which is riveted, as indicated at 20, to the slide 10 at a point near its rear end. The spring 19 projects forwardly overlying the slot 11. Its forward end 21 projects through an aperture 22 in the flange 17, where it may be easily manipulated byone wishing to remove the blind headmember 3 from the bracket 1. p he spring 19 is provided with an aperture 23 which fits over the head 16 of the stud 13 when the closure member is in'closed position. This is indicated in full lines in Fig. 4. The aperture 22 in the flange 17 is wide enough to permit the spring 19 to be deflected to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4. When the spring is in this position the aperture 23 clears the head 16 of the stud 13 and the slide may be pulled outwardly. When the slide has been pulled outwardly so that the stud 13 rests at the inner end of the slot 11, it may be swung downwardly as shown in Fig. 3 so that the flange 17 is completely away from the opening of the bracket, permitting the headmember 3 to be removed as shown in Fig. 3. The T portion 12 of the slot permits the slide 10 to move outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, to give full clearance.

The length of the slot is such that the flange 17 clears the bottom of the bracket during this movement; and by locating the stud 13 centrally between the upper and lower flanges 5 and (land adjacent the open edge of the plate 4, it is possible to swing the slide 10 with its flange 17 either to the position shown in Fig. 3 or to a corresponding position above the flange 5.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributesthereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A bracket suitable for supporting either end of a Venetian blind headmember or the like comprising a rectangular plate with top, bottom and rear flanges eX tending therefrom at right angles thereto and having a stud having a head and a shank secured to said plate centrally between said top and bottom flanges and adjacent the unflanged edge of said plate and a closure member for said bracket comprising a flat slide overlying and slidable on said plate and having a closure flange extending from its forward end at right angles thereto to form a retainer for a headmember disposed within the bracket, said slide having a longitudinal slot fitting over the shank of said stud and underlying the head thereof with the distance from the inner end of said slot to said closure flange greater than the distance from said stud to thetop and bottom flanges to permit said closure flange to be swung to a position below the bracket when the bracket is in position at either end of a head- 'member to support said end, and locking means to retain said closure member in closing position comprising a flat spring secured to said slide 'rearwardly of said slot and extending forwardly and overlying said stud and extending through an aperture in said closure flange, said spring h'avin'g an aperture therein to receive the head of said stud when the closure member is in closing position, the aperture in said closure flange being of greater dimension than the portion of said spring extending therethrough to permit the spring to be raised out of stud-engaging position to permit the slide to be moved forwardly for opening the bracket.

2. A bracket suitable for supporting either end of a Venetian blind headmember or the like comprising a rectangular plate with top, bottom and rear flanges extending therefrom at right angles thereto and having a stud having a head and a shank secured to said plate centrally between said top and bottom flanges and adjacent the unflanged edge of said plate and a closure member for said bracket comprising a flat slide overlying and slidable on said plate and having a closure flange extending from its forward end at right angles thereto to form a retainer for a headmember disposed within the bracket, said slide having a longitudinal slot fitting over the shank of said stud and underlying the head thereof and terminating at its inner end in a T slot with the distance from the inner end of said slot to said closure flange greater than the distance from said stud to the top and bottom flanges to permit said. closure flange to be swung to a position below the bracket when the bracket is in position at either end of a headmember to support said end, and locking means to retain said closure member in closing position.

3. A bracket suitable for supporting either end of a Venetian blind headmember or the like comprising a rectangular plate with top, bottom and rear flanges extending therefrom at right angles thereto and having a stud having a head and a shank secured to said plate centrally between said top and bottom flanges and adjacent the unflanged edge of said plate and closure member for said bracket comprising a flat slide overlying and slidable on said plate and having a closure flange extending from its forward end at right angles thereto to form a retainer for a headmember disposed within the bracket, said slide having a longitudinal slot fitting over the shank of said stud and underlying the head thereof with the distance from the inner end of said slot to said closure flange greater than the distance from said stud to the top and bottom flanges to permit said closure flange to be swung to a position below the bracket when the bracket is in position at either end of a headmember to support said end, and locking means to retain said closure member in closing position.

4. A bracket for Venetian blind headmembers or the like comprising a rectangular plate with top, bottom and rear flanges extending therefrom at right angles thereto and having a stud having a head and a shank secured to said plate between said top and bottom flanges and ad jacent the unflanged edge of said plate and a closure mem ber for said bracket comprising a flat slide overlying and slidable on said plate and having a closure flange extending from its forward end at right angles thereto to form a retainer for a headmember disposed within the bracket, said slide having a longitudinal slot fitting over the shank of said stud and underlying the head thereof with the distance from the inner end of said slot to said closure flange greater than the distance from said stud to the bottom flanges to permit said closure flange to be swung to a position below the bracket, and locking means to retain said closure member in closing position comprising a flat spring secured to said slide rearwardly of said slot and extending forwardly and overlying said stud and extending through an aperture in said closure flange, said spring having an aperture therein to receive the head of said stud when the closure member is in closing position, the aperture in said closure flange being of greater dimension than the portion of said spring extending therethrough to permit the spring to be raised out of stud-engaging position to permit the slide to be moved forwardly for opening the bracket.

5. A bracket for Venetian blind headmembers or the like comprising a rectangular plate with top, bottom and rear flanges extending therefrom at right angles thereto and having a stud having a head and a shank secured to said plate between said top and bottom flanges and adjacent the unflanged edge of said plate and a closure member for said bracket comprising a flat slide overlying and slidable on said plate and having a closure flange extending from its forward end at right angles thereto to form a retainer for a headmember disposed within the s0 bracket, said slide having a longitudinal slot fitting over the shank of said stud and underlying the head thereof .with the distance from the inner end of said slot to said closure flange greater than the distance from said stud to the bottom flanges to permit said closure flange to be swung to a position below the bracket, and locking means to retain said closure member in closing position.

6. An end bracket for attaching a Venetian blind headmember or the like to a window casing, comprising a sheet metal, box-like housing having a bottom and three sides and adapted to be positioned in use so that the box bottom is in opposing relation to the ends of the headmember with the open side facing the interior of the room with the lower side acting as a supporting flange and the upper and rear sides acting as retaining and attachment flanges, means for optionally opening or closing said open side comprising a pivotable, slotted, flanged member, means for retaining said member in movable relationship to the housing bottom comprising a shouldered rivet located centrally between the top and bottom flanges, said member having a longitudinal slot in its portion of greatest length, retaining lugs formed inwardly and in receiving relationship from the metal in the box bottom to guide and support said portion for horizontal sliding movement, a reticulated flat spring riveted to and overlying the slotted movable member having an extended end extremity which protrudes for finger activation through the flanged portion of the movable member, said flat spring having a clearance aperture suitable and positioned for engaging the head of said stud when the movable piece is actuated inwardly to the limit of the longitudinal slot for the purpose of engaging and retaining the headmember in positive enclosure within the bracket, said assembly being operative to dismount the headmember by merely raising the spring extension to the limit of its guiding aperture and urging the headmember in an outward motion, said slidable member advancing outwardly to the slot limit from which position it can be pivoted downwardly on the shouldered rivet, thus revealing an open passage for headmember removal, and in such open position furnishing a supporting and guiding means for conducting the headmember into or out of the movable member when in the open position.

7. An end bracket for attaching a Venetian blind headmember or the like to a Window casing, comprising a sheet metal, box-like housing having a bottom and three sides and adapted to be positioned in use so that the box bottom is in opposing relation to the ends of the headmember with the open side facing the interior of the room with the lower side acting as a supporting flange and the upper and rear sides acting as retaining and attachment flanges, means for optionally opening or closing said open side comprising a pivotable, slotted, flanged member, means for retaining said member in movable relationship to the housing bottom comprising a shouldered rivet located centrally between the top and bottom flanges, said member having a longitudinal slot in its portion of greatest length, a reticulated flat spring riveted to and overlying the slotted movable member having an extended end extremity which protrudes for finger activation through the flanged portion of the movable member, said flat spring having a clearance aperture suitable and positioned for engaging the head of said stud when the movable piece is actuated inwardly to the limit of the longitudinal slot for the purpose of engaging and retaining the headmember in positive enclosure within the bracket,

' said assembly being operative to dismount the headmember by merely raising the spring extension to the limit of its guiding aperture and urging the headmember in an outward motion, said slidable member advancing outwardly to the slot limit from which position it can be pivoted downwardly on the shouldered rivet, thus revealing an open passage for headmember removal, and in such open position furnishing a supporting and guiding means for conducting the headmember into or out of the movable member when in the open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McKerlie Dec. 23, 1941 

